This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a filtered large cigar having a bunch including a preformed cigar filter and a conventional tobacco filler charge which are spirally wrapped by a conventional tobacco binder and, more particularly, to method and apparatus for manufacturing such a filter cigar wherein the filter and tobacco filler charge are simultaneously introduced onto the rolling table of a cigar rolling machine for rolling within a spirally wrapped sheet of conventional cigar binder material to form a cigar bunch which, upon crimping and wrapping, will become a filtered large cigar. Means are also provided for simultaneously introducing onto the rolling table, prior to the rolling operation, a reinforcement strip including layers of reinforcing tape and a nonflammable foil such that, upon rolling of the bunch, the reinforcement strip will be circumferentially wrapped over and bonded to the binder at the interface between the filler and the preformed filter to prevent their separation during use and to extinguish the flame of the cigar prior to ignition of the filter.
In an alternative embodiment, the reinforcement strip is so placed on the rolling table relative to the binder that, upon completion of the rolling operation, the reinforcement strip is positioned under and bonded to the binder at the interface between the filter and filler charge. Additionally, the present method and apparatus provides means for locating the filter relative to the filler charge and heated crimper means for forming the filter into the desired head shape of an otherwise conventional "large" cigar.
Cigarettes and some small cigars, i.e. cigars less than about 110 mm in length and 8 mm in diameter, containing filters have been marketed for many years. An example of such a filtered small cigar is the one marketed by Henri Winterman of Holland under the trademark "Cafe' Filtre". Additionally, some small and medium size cigars have included filters which were incorporated into thick plastic mouthpieces or tips. "Large" cigars, i.e. cigars having a diameter of at least about 12 mm and a length of at least about 117 mm, however, due to their substantially greater diameter and length, are incapable of being used with such filter tips. Previous attempts to incorporate a filtering material within the bunch of such "large" cigars, have proven unsuccessful. The physical bulk of large cigars do not readily lend themselves to their use with a filter and prior art attempts have often resulted in cigars wherein the filter tended to separate from the tobacco filler during use. Generally, however, not a great deal of emphasis had been placed on the production of a filtered large cigar because many smokers of large cigars did not inhale the smoke and thus it was felt that a filter was somewhat wasted. In view of recent government studies on the effects of smoking and the general public acceptance of filtered cigarettes and small cigars, renewed efforts to produce a filtered large cigar have lead to the present invention.
Examples of filtered large cigars include the cigars described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,250,381 which issued to M. S. Kayner on July 22, 1941; 1,477,993 which issued to C. F. Bremer on Dec. 18, 1923; 972,428 which issued to F. Acker on Oct. 11, 1910 and 899,355 which issued to J. O. Therien on Sept. 22, 1908. Further, cigars incorporating spirally wound filters in their bunches are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 642,000 which issued to F. C. Reed on Jan. 23, 1900 and 3,165,106 which issued to C. E. Schon on Jan. 12, 1965.
Heretofore, there had been little concern for extinguishing the flame of a cigar prior to its reaching and igniting the filter. With small cigars and cigarettes the flame is not substantial and presents little problem. The problem of the flame igniting the filter with a large cigar becomes of greater concern, however, due to the large mass involved and the type of filters used. The use of a metallic band circumferentially wrapped about the external surface of a cigarette for purposes of rendering a cigarette magnetic was, however, taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,192,569 which issued to H. S. Williams on Mar. 5, 1940.
Commercially available cigarmaking machines have failed to provide either means for incorporating preformed filters within a cigar bunch or means for reinforcing the filter and the filler charge to prevent their separation during use. U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,839, which issued to N. R. Parlatore on Jan. 6, 1970, discloses a cigar machine which includes means to wrap a tobacco band under the wrapper and over the point of intersection of a plastic filter and the tobacco filler bunch, and Schon U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,106 discloses a cigar machine for manufacturing a cigar having a spirally wound filter which is rolled with the tobacco filler charge.
The shaping and crimping of cigars is taught, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,051 which issued to C. T. Merenda et al. on Feb. 18, 1969, and the piercing of the external end of a cigar is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,277,690 which issued to S. Clausen on Mar. 31, 1942. Neither, however, teach location or heated crimper means.
Against the foregoing background, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing a commercially acceptable filtered large cigar wherein a preformed cigar filter and tobacco filler charge are simultaneously introduced onto a cigar rolling table, mated together, and rolled within a sheet of cigar binder material with a reinforcement strip bonded to the binder and circumferentially wrapped over the interface between the filter and the filler charge.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing a filtered large cigar which includes means for maintaining a tight mating between the filter and tobacco filler charge during the rolling operation.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing a filtered large cigar which includes means for circumferentially wrapping and bonding to the binder a reinforcement strip including layers of reinforcing tape and foil over the interface between the tobacco filler charge and the preformed filter.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing a filtered large cigar which includes means for aligning and locating the preformed filter relative to the tobacco filler charge after rolling and prior to crimping.
It is yet still a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing a commercially acceptable filtered large cigar having the same outward appearance as non-filtered large cigars.